The Double Life She Lives
by OliviaKate22
Summary: Many  people may think they have an idea what it is like everyday being a Soldier or even an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Most days are ordinary idle work, then some days exceed all expectations
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:**

 **Its a short story, loops (sort of) into my other story, The Choices We Make. Its taken out of the period in between Winter Soldier and AOU, without any romantic relationship between Natasha and Bruce. Steve and Natasha are together. Maria Hill is working for Tony and Pepper both, while staying an active agent with S.H.I.E.L.D**

 **Hope you all enjoy.**

 **Cheers**

* * *

Chapter 1

Many people may think they have an idea what it is like everyday being a Soldier or even an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Most days are ordinary idle work, then some days exceed all expectations.

" _GRENADE…. TAKE COVER"_ Hey own yells startling her awake. Sitting up in bed, sweat running down her face. " _Its just a dream"_ She reassured herself.

Looking over at the clock, it shined in bright red color 0244. She rolled her eyes, she had just went to bed at Midnight. Though she was exhausted with the haunting sleep she did had, she decided to get up and start her day. She didn't want any of her demons to impact her day.

With a quick change she was in dark gym clothes, tossing a few items into a bag, before grabbing her Garment bag. She got the keys off the counter before departing the apartment and locking the door behind her.

Driving through the dark streets to an underground garage. She parked her 'black on black' Lexus in the Level 8 Agent parking spot. She waved at the parking attendant before pressing her hand against the identification pad. The hallways were dead quite and brightly lite as she entered the indoor gym.

She stretch before jumping on the treadmill for a steep inclined run. The Black Eagle crest of Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division, covered the back wall completely.

After 6 miles on the treadmill, and running a full body circuit twice, before any other person walked into the gym. She finished her cool down departing, and heading upstairs to a row of cubicles where she plotted down in a desk. She login in checking emails, looking at status updates of individuals in the field and on leave. Her phone chimed, telling her it was time to head to her actual job.

She drove to the Tower that took part of the New York sky line. Walking into her office she, hung her garment bag behind the door in the bathroom turning on the shower, while the water warmed up she, started up her computer.

Within 20 minutes she was showered and dressed drinking her second cup of coffee while checking her Stark emails. The morning sun breaking the darkness up.

"Ms. Hill, Ms. Potts is awake and requesting you have breakfast with her." The housekeeper told her.

"Thank You" Maria got up from the desk, phone on hand looking at the stock market updates and anything trending on the news. But nothing she was interested in, or anyone.

"Morning Pepper, did you get some rest?"

"Not really, Tony decided to come back late last night from the compound.." Pepper explained to her.

"I see, I wasn't given any notification that the team had returned."

"the team hasn't returned, Just Tony. He is trying to make up for the date he missed last week." Pepper giving her a smile

"I see, where shall we start for today's business?" The two women beginning their days work, running Stark Industries.

Maria returned to dark apartment, just like she left it that morning. It was 930 pm and all she craved was a hot bath and a large glass of wine. She slipped off the her tall high heels, unzipping the back of her dress, while the bath tub filled. Standing in her kitchen, barefooted and unzipped she poured herself a glass of wine. Then deciding to bring the bottle with her.

Placing both glass and bottle on the tile floor, while she finishing undressing and submerged herself in the bath. Drinking her wine she while scrolled through the New alters, while she listened to instrumental jazz.

Her hand vibrated in her hand, she had a new email.

 _Agent Hill,_

 _Clear your schedule. I need you at the Compound first thing in the morning._

 _Tony_

 _Really?_ She was pissed that Tony is messing with her schedule. Also excitement rushed through her. _Maybe I will get to see him._ She thought to herself. Only writing a single word reply. _Roger._

What will tomorrow hold? She just had to make it through the night. Night time was always the hardest for her, she watches helplessly to the horrors that play out. Every time nothing changes, each one still dies, their lifeless bodies imprinted in her mind forever.

She was siting up in bed, powering through any and all work she would have for the next day. Jumping on the emails for both S.H.I.E.L.D and Stark Industries, contingency plans depending g how long she was going to be away.

It was a little before 0100 when she finished her work, finally laying down and turning out the lights. She closed her eyes, letting sleep take her. Only darkness is where her monsters of past come out to show themselves.

" _No… Don't"_ She yelled as a different monster woke her from sleep. Picking her head up from the pillow to see its only 0210. _WHY!_ She yelled into the pillow.

She pulled into the gravel drive way as the sun was raising. She had brought with her 6 dozen donuts and muffins for her team. She sat down boxes of breakfast items, in time for Natasha to appear from the hallway where her living quarters were.

"Maria, I didn't know you were coming out." She greeted her with a hug. Natasha wearing oversized clothes that, clearly didn't belong to her.

"Didn't have much of a choice when your boss tells you to be here first thing." She to the red head.

Everyone started making waking up and coming to indulge in breakfast. Mostly because Maria started the coffee pot, letting the aroma wake the sleeping men.

Clint stumbling to the couch where he curled back up into the fetal position resting his head in Natasha lap. She carelessly running her fingers through his golden hair while she sipped her coffee.

Tony, Steve, Thor sat around the table reliving the events from the prior night. Clearly Thor returned last night causes an immediate celebration. _That's why Clint does look good, trying to keep up with Super Soldier and a God._

Steve leaned over the back of the couch to giving Natasha a sweet whisper in her ear causing her to smile and kissing her lips.

"Rogers we talked about this, no kissing or cute stuff in public, old people should not do that." Tony teased.

"When you are 100 and look that good, you can do whatever you want Tony." Natasha told them, while she smiled at her boyfriend.

Maria looked around at her teammates, noticing that one is missing from the group. She grabbed a coffee cup, filling with hot water and grabbed a tea bag, departing in search of the missing teammate.

She walked towards R and D labs, peering through the glass walls, looking for the workaholic Doctor. She spotted him, hunch over a table, writing in a tattered leather journal.

"Knock, Knock. I brought donuts for breakfast." She told him, trying not to startle him. He looked up at her, giving her an ear to ear smile. " Thought maybe you would like a cup of tea." As she set down the cup.

"I didn't know you were here." He walked towards her. Ignoring the cup, he wrapped his arms around her, staring her deep in her eyes, before placing his lips on hers. Her hands on either side of his face. "I missed you." He told her when their contact broke.

"Me too." She holding him close. "Tony insisted on me clearings my schedule to come here. I am not sure if it's for work or what." Maria resting chin on his shoulder.

" Thor arrived last night, Tony thought that we have some team bounding time. Your part of the team." Bruce releasing his hold on her, but keeping one arm wrapped around her waist. While Maria opened the tea bag and dipped it into the warm water.

"What are you working on? Everyone else is just barely waking up." She asked him.

"Well they had a heated battle of beer pong last night. But I got a call from Agents Fritz and Simmons about a project they are working. Technically I didn't go to bed." He gave her a cheesy grin.

"You need your sleep Doc. I Am sure Barton loss last night." She informed him.

"I would sleep better if I had someone next to me."

"Me too. Let's go and join the rest of the team, before Thor eats all the donuts." She joked.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Team Bonding" Tony shouted as he gets a running start towards the pool, balling his legs up, cannonball into the pool. Causing a splash, Natasha, Pepper and Maria laid out on lounge chairs, judging the splash holding up numbers with their fingers.

Bruce wore bright purple swim trunks, as he was next in the cannon ball contest. Instead of a cannon ball, he did a belly flop, making a splash, definitely not as big as Thor or Steve, bigger then Clint and Tony.

Natasha giving Bruce a 6, Pepper a 7 but Maria held 8 fingers proudly.

"this is rigged. What's next for team bounding Tony." Clint groaned.

"Legolas, another round of beer pong?" Tony teased.

"I'd go for another bout. Captain Rogers is a worthy opponent." Thor said, only because he was winning every event.

"NO!" The women all yelled in unison. Bruce coming to sit at the end of Maria lounge chair. Before anyone could see what happened, a flash of red blurred passed them. Steve and Clint grabbed to lounge chair Natasha was laying in, tossing her and the chair into the pool. Clint laying out on the ground laughing, Natasha drenched looking like a sad puppy, giving Clint a murderous look. Steve deciding to jump in after her. Swooping her in his arms, swaying her around in the water, causing her to giggle.

Maria and Bruce were jealous of the openness of Tony and Pepper's relationship and the newness of Natasha and Steve relationship. They both really cared for each other, and didn't want to share their free time with anyone else. They just didn't care for the public opinion on the matter. Especially when it came to Tony's teasing.

Bruce making his feeling known to her months prior, when they were making dinner one night for themselves. Them both being vegans they spent the night getting to know each other more.

Maria called it "a by chance night" everyone one else went out for dinner and drinks, but Bruce doesn't like going out in public and Maria unfortunately had a lot of work she needed to finish. He build the courage to ask if she wanted something to eat. They hit it off, spending the evening talking about the places they have traveled too, the places they wanted to still see. The foods they loved and some of their favorite things in the world. Bruce taking a leap and leaned in a kissed her, Maria letting him make his uncomfortable awkward move on her.

From there they landed an easy foundation to their relationship. They talked on the phone, and exchanged emails. Only moving into a more physical part of their relationship recently. When Maria returned from their weekend away, she returned to her office, where a gorgeous single orchid with little splatters of purple on the petals. A hand written note in his rough doctor scribble, You are the peace I looked for in my life. You make every day better. – Bruce. It was the first time in her life she received flowers from a man she cared. Not because she injured.

They knew each other jobs were the biggest apart of their lives and neither one wanted to interfere with the others job. Sometimes made communicate hard, both understood they would not be able to talk daily.

After everyone had a good laugh at Natasha expense, Tony and Clint start the same argument everything who was the true grill master. Clint really didn't care he just loved giving Tony a hard time.

Maria had gone inside to start preparing the side items and pulling everything would to eat outside. Pepper joining her to help.

"Happy to see Bruce?" Pepper asked

"Yes. It's been a couple of weeks since the last time we spent time together." Maria told her while you placed all the condiments on the counter.

"You know if you want more time with him, we could arrange something."

" Pepper, I appreciate that but I think it's too soon for us to be making life and job altering decisions. Plus we are still getting to know each other, I don't want to be all lovey-dovey and ughhh." Maria asked getting a sickly shake of her body and making a face. Clearly a little grossed out by Steve and Natasha abundance of affection.

" You are a valued member of this team, and I want you to be happy in whatever you're doing." Pepper said quietly placing a hand on her shoulder.

" Thank you but I enjoy my job and life very much at the moment."

"Good. Let's get these outside before the start eating like cavemen" Pepper gathering multiple items in her arms and having Maria follow suit.

Only a small food fight broke out at dinner, which Clint started and Natasha going to ending. Before Thor and Steve tossed both of them in the pool, causing an all-out splash fight. Tony and Pepper sitting back watching the children play, as Tony thought of his team mates, his kids.

Maria discreetly pulling Bruce hand leading him into the house. They giggle like teenagers escaping the watchful eyes. They lightly ran down the hallway, pass the R and D lab, Bruce opening the single door to his large living space. His quarters were away from everyone else and his room was specialty enforce just in case the other guy wanted to make an appearance.

Maria wrapped her arms around his neck, finding his lips while they she and him, stumbled towards his bedroom.

The back of Bruce's leg meeting the edge of the mattress, she felt the shift of his unbalance. She pulled back a little, giving a sideways look with a raised eye brow. She smirked at him before pushing him back on to the bed, he grabs her hand pulling her on top of him. Their lips meeting again, she didn't put up much of a fight, letting him dominate her mouth. She rolling off from on top of him to his side. He remained on his back while she ran her fingers through his hair.

"When do you have to go back?" He whispered. A grunt sound escaping her.

"I wished I could have more time with you. But I do have a lot of work. Coulson and May have had me watching a Senator, Tony's privatized world security and Pepper trying to keep the company ahead in the technology race. It's just a lot all the time." She sighed exhaustively.

"We will have to plan our next weekend away. Without work, cell phones or…." Bruce voice quiet while he closed the space between and having their lips meet.

The early morning sun wakes the curly messy brown haired man, rolling over, seeing a fully dressed beauty sitting up over the covers. She was busy tapping on the key board of her laptop. She leaned over giving him a greeting kiss.

"How did you sleep?" He asked her.

"I sleep better with you. But apparently Mace doesn't sleep. Have you ever study a Dr. Radcliffe ?" She asked

"That's funny you ask, Agents Fritz and Simmons have been needing some assistance with some of his research. I think he is playing fire. Makes me feel better you are keeping an eye on him." He laid crossed her legs. "Is this your settle way of telling me your going back today?"

"Yes, I am going to drive Pepper back. We have to head to Malibu for a technology presentation." She told him, in a sad voice.

"I will get dress." He started getting out of bed.

"No, stay. I don't want to make a big deal of it. But can you get away in two weeks? Maybe the weekend?" She gave him a raised eye brow, waiting for his response.

"Sounds like a plan to me. Be safe." As he find her lips again. Lingering there in the moment.


End file.
